Budget 2009: 'Electric car could damage environment'
Tuesday, 21 April 2009 5:23 PM
By politics.co.uk staff
Government plans to subsidies the purchase of electric cars to the tune of £5,000 have come under fire from a leading Green party leader.
In a video interview with politics.co.uk, Darren Johnson, deputy-chairman of the London Assembly and member of the Green party, said the cars could even damage the environment, depending on how they are charged.
"The electric vehicle programme could work, but there are two key things we need to remember as well," he said.
"The source of the electricity is absolutely vital. So unless we have a massive switch to renewable energy we're not actually tackling the problem of reducing CO2 emissions, we're merely shuffling around the emissions if we're going to power them by coal-powered fuel stations, for example."
He continued: "And also, we need the emphasis on public transport."
The comments come a day before the chancellor presents the Budget to parliament.
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